[Begin quote] Slain Mammals Intercepted in Nakorn Panom
The front page of Kao Sot newspaper for yesterday showed a photo of a ranger examining the carcasses of 11 tigers loaded in the back of a pickup truck. According to the story, over 300 mammals, including leopards, panthers, marbled cats and porcupines were a part of a shipment which was intercepted in Nakorn Panom enroute to China via the Laotian border. No doubt these creatures were all destined to end up on some exotic menu in some ritzy restaurant in southern China. [End quote]

This is just someone who was caught. I'm certain that much more slips through the borders.

Poaching is so rampant in your part of the world, and also in Africa. Man is really trying to wipe out as many species as possible! I was watching something the other day that said 12 species are wiped out on a daily basis. That is unbelievable! For all of you doubters our there, keep in mind that we lose an area of rain forest the size of Rhode Island every week. The Amazon is no longer the fastest shrinking rain forest either. Nigeria has now taken the lead with the Congo area. I wonder how many species we don't know about that are wiped out every day. It seems like they discover a new mammal every few months in the South Pacific.

__________________
My passion for catching fish is eclipsed only by the fish's passion not to be caught.
Scott

There are probably many tiger breeding programs going on here... including programs at zoos. I don't know why Thailand even bothered to sign the CITES Treaty if they're not going to follow its rules and philosophy. There are blatant abuses of animals all over the place. For example, there is a big stink now at one of the zoos over how they got a bunch of Orangutans. DNA shows that they were not bred at the zoo, meaning they most likely came from the wild.

I'll bet there are some wealthy/powerful people behind this latest tiger-killing episode. And, I'll bet it'll be a slap on the wrist instead of a truly serious punishment for a truly serious crime against Nature.